Third candidate announces run for 13th congressional district

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:46:52 CDTBy: Jim Browne

Residents of Illinois' 13th congressional district will have a third name on the ballot in November. John Hartman, an independent candidate from Edwardsville, handed in his paperwork this week. He'll face Bloomington Democrat Democrat David Gill and Taylorville Republican Rodney Davis. Incumbent Tim Johnson quit after winning the Republican primary. Hartman says he's been an independent for 30 years, and not aligning with any political party allows him some freedom:

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"I think there is an objectivity that comes with being independent. I think that I have no prejudgments, or predispositions. I just look at the facts of the case and I apply my judgment to that"

Hartman says the economy and budget deficit top his concerns. He says if elected to congress he would look to preserve tax breaks for struggling Americans, raise taxes on the well off, and cut spending to bring the budget back into balance. He also says while the Affordable Care Act fails to keep down costs, he does not think it should be repealed. The new 13th district contains parts of Bloomington and Normal, and stretches from Champaign south-west to the Mississippi River.